ArcaMax

Dear Eric: I have a friend who I've been friends with for about 10 years. We both share views that lean left. In the past we've shared many dinners discussing the inequities of our country and other political type topics. My friend is constantly lamenting about how unfair our society is and is super empathetic to the plight of the disadvantaged,...Read more

The story starts the same. You like someone. They like you. You continue liking this person. This person stops liking you (or never did?) and pulls back. You like this person more. This person, feeling smothered, continues to pull back. You continue to obsess more.

Why is this, though? Why should a person’s feelings actually grow the less and...Read more

Dear Eric: I am a 47-year-old woman and was diagnosed with a rare terminal illness three years ago after several years of investigations. I have a rough time frame of six to 10 years. I have no family and no close friends. The only person I see is my neighbor who is also my cleaner, but that’s the only time I see her. I am totally alone, ...Read more

BOISE, Idaho — While visiting Flying M Coffee, one of their favorite downtown Boise haunts, Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln pretended to go to the gift shop before returning to her table with Van Beechler-Lincoln carrying a personalized flipbook that told the story of their love. On the table between them was a ship in a bottle that Van’s friend had ...Read more

Dear Eric: I will turn 65 in a few months and have announced my plans to retire. I have a long list of things I want to do, and after 50 years of employment and saving, I am well situated for these next years. At least, that is what my financial adviser and balance sheets tell me.

I really yearn for more discretionary time and my physical ...Read more

Dear Eric: I have two daughters with special needs. They function around the level of a 10-year-old. They are also nonverbal in public. It is very unlikely that they will ever have a relationship with anyone, much less have children. So, it is likely that I will never be a grandmother. My question is how do I deal with the grief that causes me? ...Read more

Dear Eric: I am a young adult with a movement disorder similar to Parkinson's. It causes uncontrollable, violent, jerky, muscle movements, called dyskinesias, in nearly every part of my body. These dyskinesias resemble the effects of illicit substances and can make people who don't know me very uncomfortable. How would you suggest I address this...Read more

Dear Eric: Christmas is a very difficult time for me, and I typically don’t celebrate as I don’t have any close family, and it only brings back painful memories. I moved a couple years ago and found a very great group of friends that have quickly become my chosen family. I was determined to take back how I felt about Christmas and began to ...Read more

Dear Eric: I belong to a small book club that now comprises six older women. All of us have been with the group for more than 30 years. For the most part, we all get along and enjoy the variety of books that are selected to be read each year. We have one member who is very opinionated about everything and does not hesitate to let her thoughts be...Read more

Dear Anna,

I'm at my wit's end with my partner’s extreme focus on achieving FIRE (financial independence, retire early). What started as a healthy interest in personal finance has turned into an all-consuming obsession. We're both 29 and have lived together the last year. My boyfriend has become fixated on retiring by 35, which means saving ...Read more

Dear Eric: My wife and I had a good friendship with a single woman, "Barb," for about 20 years. We enjoyed her company, and she went with us on trips, sometimes with her boyfriend of the moment.

She was always a bit problematic as, beside relationship troubles, she had health issues, but we were supportive, and we all had fun together. As we ...Read more